


If Only He Knew

by ShotoShiro



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Background Relationships, Baristas, Bottom Keith (Voltron), Café, Coffee Shops, Cute, Cute Ending, Daddy Kink, Daddy Shiro, Dom/sub, Domestic Fluff, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Gay, Gay Chicken, Gay Keith (Voltron), Love, M/M, Master/Pet, Sheith endgame, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Soulmates, Top Lance (Voltron), Top Shiro (Voltron), Trans Character, Trans Keith (Voltron), Trans Male Character, Trans Male Keith (Voltron), background allurance, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-13 11:42:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18940219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShotoShiro/pseuds/ShotoShiro
Summary: Keith had been living a hard life. Moving from foster home to foster home until he turned eighteen, getting kicked out onto the streets and having to beg for money, finally getting a job and then going into endless debt whenever he joined college. To say the least, he wasn't a very happy man. There was also all of this fluffy soulmate bullshit, which in all honesty he never believed in. Sure, there were cases for other people, but not Keith. He didn't even have a soulmark. Let alone a soulmate. He knew how his life was going to go, he was going to *maybe* graduate college, get a lame job, and live out the rest of his boring and uneventful life. That was... until he met Shiro.





	1. Soulmarks?

**Author's Note:**

> AHHHHHH!!!! I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm actually writing a fanfiction. And for Sheith, of all things. Goodness, I never thought I would see the day. I normally only write for myself or do roleplays... I've never really posted my work T^T. I hope that you Ao3 people like it. *sigh* This is going to be hard to keep up with. - Updates once a week.

Keith Kogane had been living a hard life. Moving from foster home to foster home until he turned eighteen, getting kicked out onto the streets and having to beg for money, finally getting a job and then going into endless debt whenever he joined college, he had saved up the last bit of his money to get top surgery. To say the least, he wasn't a very happy man. There was also all of this fluffy soulmate bullshit, which in all honesty he never believed in. Sure, there were cases for other people, but not Keith. He didn't even have a soulmark. Let alone a soulmate. He knew how his life was going to go, he was going to maybe graduate college, get a lame job, and live out the rest of his boring and uneventful life without a soulmate.

Soulmarks were simple, to say the least. Every person had a mark on them, the shape nonidentical to anybody else's but their soulmate. The brighter the color/shade, the stronger the bond. The duller the soulmark, the weaker the bond.When soulmates touch for the first time, both of their soulmarks would light up and cause the person to feel immense pulsing throughout where their soulmark was located. Now, Keith had known how soulmarks worked his whole life, just like he knew that he never had one. Some of Keith's caretakers had thoroughly scrutinized his every skin cell whilst looking for his soulmark, and every single one of them came up with zilch. Keith had figured out at a young age that he was forever destined to be alone. Sure, he wasn't happy with that fact at the beginning, but now he was more content. There wasn't really anything he could do about it... right?

In his free time Keith had secretly searched up people who had late soulmarks, or just really dull soulmarks that weren't always visible to the human eye. And of course, he found a few articles covering the fact. But it seemed almost so rare that it was nonexistent. Keith had lost hope after a while, simply coming to the conclusion that he will never have a soulmate. Sure, it hurt at first. But Keith has learned to deal with the pain, he had always been a very independent person either way. He had always been the one to patch up his own wounds, always been smart on his own. He had always had enough skill and common sense to get his way through life.

Keith currently worked as a barista at the Lion Cafe. His coworker, Pidge, had become one of his best friends. They would spend weekends watching Cryptid documentaries and shitty horror movies. Keith loved Pidge with all of his heart, platonically, that is. She was his first friend, she had been there with him whenever he had top surgery. They had been through the thicks and thins of college debt and surviving on their own. They had even moved into a shitty apartment together. It was one of the better things in his life, Keith mused. He figured it was probably one of the only things he would ever get to whole-heartily and genuinely enjoy. 

Now, Keith was about as content as he could be with life. He had a good friend, a good home, a good job, and most importantly, a healthy amount of stress. He didn't have to worry about anything that every other young adult doesn't worry about. He didn't have to think about foster homes or finances. He didn't have a care in the world. He would go to his classes in the middle of the day and then go to the cafe for his shift at 4:00 pm. He was living a healthy and somewhat happy life. He loved where he was at in the world. He loved being somewhat under the radar. He enjoyed being able to be left alone and respected by the people around him. But most importantly, he was glad he didn't have to worry about a stupid soulmate.


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Hunk moments + Shiro sighting?? UwU

Keith was walking to his morning class on the first day of sophomore year, 9:00 am Sociology. Some might say that it was ironic that someone as socially awkward as Keith would take a class like Sociology. Keith just liked to think of it as a completely not ironic ordeal. He wasn't socially awkward, per say. He just didn't like people. His only friend was a girl 3 years younger than him and 2 grades above him. And if that didn't say something, he didn't know what did. Sociology, the study of the development, structure, and functioning of human society, or rather, the study of social problems. Keith didn't really know why he signed up for the class.

As Keith walked into the classroom, he noticed one of his coworkers, Hunk. He waved politely and went to sit next to the larger man. "Hey, how are you?" Hunk greeted him kindly. "I'm fine." Keith said, not wanting to put up with small talk and social formalities. Sure, he liked Hunk and all. But he still wasn't a social butterfly like the person next to him. He was always just the loner, outcast, weirdo of the class. Maybe college would differ from High school. He hoped he would be able to explore things he had never thought twice about. Maybe he would go to parties... maybe he would explore his sexual urges-

"KEITH!" Hunk whisper-shouted. "Ah, what?" Keith snapped. Sure, he had gotten lost in his thoughts, but he didn't need to get whisper-shouted at. It was degrading, and he didn't appreciate Hunk's sass. "Do you have a pen?" he asked, calmer than before. Keith groaned and reached into his black book bag to grab a small red pen. "Here." he said as he shoved the pen in Hunk's direction. Jesus, did he have to be so dramatic about needing a pen? Maybe Keith was just in a bad mood. He went from waking up at 1 pm to waking up at 730 pm for a stupid Sociology class he didn't even want to take anymore.

Keith paid attention to the professor for a good amount of time, but his eyes drifted to a broad back amongst the normal backs of the other college students in the room. He noticed the white hair, the broad build, the black shirt that clearly hugged the mans muscles. He was intrigued, to say the least. The man seemed attractive enough from behind, maybe the front of his would prove to be different from the front. Keith didn't understand why he was suddenly interested with the man, but he was. The man in question looked to the side and Keith could make out brown eyes and a forelock dangling in front of the mans face, but besides that, he was clueless. The man did have a defined jaw line, though.

That was... an interesting observation, Keith mused to himself. He's a straight man, though. So it shouldn't matter what he thinks about this man... right?


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another Shiro sighting??? Where did he go??

Keith felt entirely and utterly deceased. He was so exhausted.He had been to all four of his classes, each one stretching to bout an hour and a half long. He didn't know if he could handle his shift at the Lion Cafe, he didn't even know if he could walk to his bike. Of course, after some real willpower and unfocused strength, Keith made it to his motorcycle. He hopped on his 'Red Mama' and drove off to his workplace. On the way there, he ran approximately 4 red lights, cut in front of 6 people, and broken at least 2 traffic laws, but did Keith care? No. Not in the slightest.

When Keith arrived at the Lion Cafe, he was greeted by Coran cleaning up a table at the front of the cafe. Keith responded in kind with a small, polite 'hello'. Then, he mde his way to the back of the room where Pidge and Lance were working the counter. "Sup, loser. Took you long enough, your shift started 10 minutes ago." Pidge said with a snark that held no malice. "He's lucky 'Lura has a soft spot for college students." Lance said under his breath, to which Keith responded by kicking his calve softly as he passed him behind the counter.

"Shut your trap, you're just jealous she actually acknowledges my existence." Keith snickered out as he put on his apron. As Lance started sputtering, Keith just giggled and moved to start making the next drink on their cue. "She acknowledges my existence as much as the next guy! You're just jealous that-" he cut himself off, "that..." he muttered again, dumbfounded on a comeback. Keith just barked out a sarcastic laugh and looked back to where the espresso machine was spewing out hot liquid into the cup. "Good one, Lance." Hunk said from the back where he was cooking pastries with Romelle.

Keith looked over his shoulder as the door chimed to signal another person had entered the cafe, and dropped the coffee he was holding in his hand. That was... that was the most beautiful person he had ever seen before. The man was tall, freakishly so. He had a white forelock surrounded by the shorter blackness of his hair. The man had broad shoulders, and a waist so thin that he could rival a dorito. Keith would bet all of his money that this was the same person he had seen in his Sociology class. Keith didn't realize he was drooling until Pidge reached over with a cloth and wiped it from his chin.

As Keith's cheeks turned a light shade of pink, the man in question made eye contact with him. Keith gasped softly as the gunmetal grey gaze met his and he took a step back and ran into Lance's back. He turned to Lance and grumbled out an apology before looking back to where the man was standing. He glanced around the room, perplexed. The man was just here... where did he go? Keith thought to himself. He turned to Pidge and asked her if she had seen the tall and beautiful stranger, only for her to shrug nonchalantly and say she wasn't paying attention. Keith looked up once more, remembering the gunmetal grey eyes that had just stared into his soul and stripped him of everything he had been worrying about. Keith wondered what the hell had just happened as he went back to remaking the cup of coffee he had just dropped. He shook the whole scenario off and focused on working.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What the hell, Lance?

"What the hell, Mullet? That was my order!" Lance screeched out as he reached for Keith's collar. "It doesn't matter as long as it gets done." Keith said calmly, trying to remove Lance's hands from where he held tightly onto his shirt. Lance didn't let his grip falter. "Dude, get off." Keith said in an annoyed tone, pushing away from the taller and stronger male. Once again, Lance didn't falter, he didn't even blink an eye. He pulled Keith closer to his face, so close in fact, that Keith could feel his breath along his lips. Keith started to feel fearful when he couldn't get out of the mans grip.

"Lance, let go of him." Pidge said nonchalantly from where she was manning the register. She turned back and saw the slight fear on Keith's face and the boiling hatred in Lance's eyes. "If you guys get in a fight Allura will fire both of you." Currently Allura was visiting her father is Altea, New Hampshire. But they all know that when she returned she would not be pleased to hear the boys had gotten into a fight. Pidge overheard as Lance started to insult Keith, and could feel the air get tenser as Keith just stood there and took it. Of course he would, he didn't want to get fired. This was one of the only jobs he could apply for given the hours.

"Lance, stop." Keith tried to snap the boy out of his angry mumbling. Keith didn't exactly know why Lance was so worked up over something so small as Keith finishing an order for him. If anything he should be grateful that he didn't have to do it himself. Keith rolled his eyes as he finally pushed away completely. Lance was left standing there with his hands in the air. Keith didn't know how the Cuban boy was going to react to him moving away, so he just acted as if nothing happened. He grabbed an order receipt off of the cue and went to work on his new drink.

"I swear to god, he's out to steal my job, Hunk. You don't understand all the little shit he does to piss me off on purpose. That was all his fault, he deserved to be berated." Lance conspiratorially whispered to Hunk, just loud enough for Keith to hear him. Keith growled softly under his breath as he tried to keep his cool. After he finished the order he had been working on, he reached for a receipt that had been lying on the counter, assuming it was Lance's forgotten one that he had left after the argument they had just had. Keith debated whether or not he should finish the order and deal with Lance's rage, he decided against it and placed the receipt back down.

After about fifteen minutes of Lance not touching the order receipt, Keith took matters into his own hands. He reached down and grabbed the small slip of paper, quickly starting to make the drink and hoping that Lance wouldn't notice. As he was finishing up the caramel frappe, he felt a presence behind him. He quickly tuned, drink in hand, and came face to face with the brown-haired boy. "Y-Yes?" He said, his voice going up a few octaves in fear. "Is that the order that I left for later?" Lance asked with a scowl on his face. "Yeah, it was sitting there for fifteen minutes, you should've worked faster." Keith mumbled as he tried to walk past Lance.

Lance gripped onto his shoulder and grabbed the drink out of his hand. "I warned you once, Mullet. You deserve this," Lance said snarkily and he reached for the cup and moved to pour it all over Keith. The black-haired boy screeched at the coldness of the iced frappe, not to mention the fact that whipped cream and caramel had just slid down into his shirt. He pushed at Lance's chest harshly and made his way to the back room, Pidge trailing behind him anxiously. She knew that Keith had a quick-temper and wouldn't hesitate to walk straight up to Lance and knock him in the face.

Keith was throwing off his apron and his shirt when she entered the room. Pidge watched as he angrily wiped at his shoulders and attempted to get all of the creme out of his hair. He looked at her when she let out a small cough and smiled softly. "Sorry about that, didn't expect for that to happen." Pidge just stared at him, perplexed. Keith had just apologized for Lance's actions, holy shit, did he hit his head? Keith turned his back towards her, still trying to get the horrid remnants of the frappe off of his body and out of his hair.

"I can't believe he did that, I'm sorry, Keith." Pidge said, concern lacing her voice. She looked the man up and down, taking in his soaked t-shirt that lay upon the floor and his drenched hair. She felt sympathy for Keith, he didn't deserve that. But then again, she was attempting- and failing- at holding in her giggles. She had to admit that it was funny, Keith being covered in creme and coffee. She knew she shouldn't be trying to hold in her laughter, she shouldn't even be almost-laughing in the first place. Keith was now glaring at her laughing self.


End file.
